Franchi's Affinity 20 Gauge Shotgun Review (Max-5)
As I first picked up the Affinity Shotgun, the quote "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" came to mind. The light weight, along with the shotgun's perfect balance was immediately noticeable. It has a 26" barrel, and empty, the Affinity weighs 5.6 pounds. For me, the light weight is a huge benefit over all other shotguns. In the Real Max-5 pattern the Affinity is a sleek, good-looking piece of machinery. It shoulders nicely out of the box, but a shim kit is included if you need adjustment on the stock drop and cast. It was a perfect fit for me at 5 ft., and I needed no adjustments. Along with stock adjustment shims, you receive a complement of three Mobil-choke style flush tubes, a choke tube wrench, and a bottle of Franchi gun oil. The Affinity comes with an industry-leading seven year warranty. To test the Affinity, I decided to shoot some clays. I shot Winchester Super X Number 8's in 1 ounce shot. The red fiber-optic bar front sight comes naturally in line with the eye. The trigger release at 4-1/2 pounds is better than average for an out-of-the-box auto-loader. The trigger breaks clean and there is relatively no recoil. The Affinity cycles smoothly within a fraction of a second for fast set-up of your next shot. The Affinity’s slim fore-end and pistol grip make it easier to swing and point, while the textured grip surfaces make it easy to hold when moisture comes into play. I noticed that my hands were sweaty after shooting around 100 clays, yet I had no issue with the grip. The heel of the recoil pad is rounded, so it doesn't catch on shooting vests or jackets. Franchi's catch phrase is "Feels Right" and it certainly does!
The Affinity incorporates the Inertia Driven System. Inertia Driven guns rely on the rearward force generated by the shot. The design is simple yet effective and extremely reliable. The Affinity’s recoil spring is located around the magazine tube as opposed to inside the stock like other inertia-driven guns. Another contributing factor of durability can be found in the rotating bolt lock-up design with alloy receiver. The Affinity’s finish is weather-resistant and helps make gun cleaning simple. Take-down and cleaning with only three parts (bolt body, inertia spring, and rotating bolt head) is done with ease. It also means there are far less moving parts to malfunction or become damaged than on other designs.
If you're in the market (or not) for a new shotgun, the Franchi "Affinity" is hard to beat. It's a lot of gun for the price. The Black Synthetic 20 gauge model starts at $849.
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Tarra Stoddard
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